Starts at my house, among other places. I’m going to climb the mountain with a group of women for charity, departing next Sunday. I’ll be gone two weeks and hope to have some interesting — though non-Venice-related, obviously — things to relate when I return.
But that’s not why I started this post. I want to share what has inspired this adventure and my participation. Yes, this is an appeal, and no, I have no way of checking to see what you do. But I’ve put my heart and gizzard into preparing for this effort, and have already started working on editing the book. So I hope you’ll join in, even at a distance, where you certainly are warmer, more comfortable, and not enjoying any symptoms of altitude sickness, about which I have already read far more than is probably good for me.
Here goes:
You have an extraordinary opportunity to contribute and help a brave woman from the Maasai tribe called Theresia.
She has decided to trek with US to the peak of Kilimanjaro. This is part of the “Dreamers&Doers” book project, the publication of which is supported also by Ladies Trekking Club www.ladiestrekking.com and it aims at pointing out the need for education in general.
All those pre-ordering the “Dreamers&Doers” book contribute personally to the project and also to Theresia. Your name and support will go along with the Maasai woman and will help her to reach the Roof of Africa. Your name and contribution will also be mentioned on the websites of the Impatiens Kilimanjari Foundation. You only need to pre-order your copy of the book here: http://www.ladiestrekking.com/book/pre-order/
The most significant story in the book is the story of Theresia, a Maasai woman. We do not know the story and its result yet but we can support it together. As we know, all over the world the girls belonging to native tribes have major difficulties with obtaining education. Theresia has worked all her life just to provide school education to her daughter –the education she was not able to obtain herself. She will go on a trip to Kilimanjaro with other women of different nationalities. She wants to tell the world that all of us have the right for education.
How her journey goes, how far she goes and how big of a challenge it would be for her – all that can be read in the book. For the first time in her life she will put on clothes that we are used to wearing on our trekking trips. For the first time in her life she will wear boots. She believes that her story will tell to many of us how difficult it is for girls to obtain education. She hopes that it will change and the situation will improve. If we do not speak up and stand for our values then who else will?
The names of all those pre-ordering the book will reach this brave Maasai woman. This would be your message and support to Theresia! We gather the names of all our supporters and Theresia will take them along to her journey. We show that we have faith in her and we believe that she will reach the Roof of Africa.
In addition, the book will include stories of women of more than twenty nationalities. All those women are connected by their travel to the Roof of Africa. These stories are not about trekking but about those things inspiring us in life.
The stories are written by Tess Burrows – UK; Brigitte Muir – Australia; Helga Hengge – Germany; Randi Skaug – Norway; Mandy Ramsten- South Africa; Karla S. Whelock – Mexico; Samantha Larson- USA and many-many others.
School textbooks for pupils and a book for you! Let us contribute together!
In the northern part of Tanzania there are two schools – Gombero and Elerai basic schools. These schools have no water or electricity. The schools teach more than 1200 pupils and each teacher takes care of 3-5 classes at one time. Each class has around 40 students. For some subjects, the school has just a couple of textbooks for the entire class. Almost half of the students live more than 10 km away from the school and there is no public transport. Helping hands have difficulties with reaching this place.
We have decided to offer some quick help. At minimum they would require 4500 textbooks, that would cost EUR 45,000.
All the pre-ordered “Dreamers and Doers” books are linked to the project for providing textbooks for these two schools. We would like to help them as quickly as possible.
The price is 50 euros $67), including postage and handling.
Photos in the book: Karen Kasmauski (USA) Nadia Marquard Otzen (Denmark/UK)
Editor: Erla Frank Zwingle (USA /Italy)
Hardcover books are only available for pre-order. The dimensions of the book are 21 x19 cm and it contains ca 200-250 pages. It is an excellent photo and gift book full of inspiring stories about us. The book is in English language.
The more books are pre-ordered, the quicker will our help reach the children.
2 Comments
What a worthy project you and the other women are embarking upon! We’ll be waiting to hear about your experiences and reactions. I really hope that you don’t suffer too much from that rarified atmosphere.